


The Maze

by WinterDrake



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Gore, Horror, Threat of Rape/Non-Con, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-18
Updated: 2016-06-26
Packaged: 2018-03-31 03:00:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3961921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterDrake/pseuds/WinterDrake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four knights of the Survey Corps are trapped in an underground maze after they are captured by bandits. How will they survive when it turns out the bandits are are nothing compared to the monstrous beasts lurking within the maze? AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was first posted on fanfiction.net.
> 
> This story was inspired by a game called Dungeon Nightmares.

Erwin Smith, a tall, intimidating man with blonde hair and thick eyebrows, sat at his desk in front of four armored knights. The late afternoon sun shone into the large office as he briefed his knights on their next mission. Erwin was the commander of a guild of knights called the Survey Corps. He took over the old knight guild and built up the failing wreck to become what is was today, a prosperous organization that was a source of pride for the country. In his younger years Erwin was a knight in the service of King Fritz, the ruler of the country. But soon Erwin lost faith in the royal family as they cared little for their people. He left in his early twenties to take over the guild from its former commander, Dot Pixis. Erwin was now in his mid-thirties and had been successful in making the Survey Corps the best and most trusted guild in the country. Citizens from other countries would even travel to the country of Shiganshina to seek out help from the Survey Corps in the city of Stohess.

There was an extensive screening and training process that a person would have to undertake before becoming a knight. Once a trainee passed three years of training they would be given the title of knight and be allowed to take requests given to the guild from anyone; from the poorest farmer to the richest noble. The Survey Corps was created to serve the people but they worked for a price. If someone could not afford it however, there were arrangements made for other compensation or payment in installments. The Survey Corps did everything from escorting to gathering to capturing criminals, as long as the mission was approved by Erwin. They were usually hired for guarding citizens or goods or capturing fugitives.

Standing before the commander in his office was Eld Jinn, Petra Ral, Gunther Schultz and Oluo Bozado. All were dressed in the plain, traditional silver, tan and black armor of the Survey Corps Knights. The metal portions of the armor were light and did not cover the entire body to allow quicker and more agile movements. The most vital parts were protected with metal, the rest with dark colored leather armor. The goal of the knights was not to get hit at all rather than bear their enemies attacks. Each knight carried twin blades and a small, metal shield that was usually strapped onto their forearm.

Eld was a tall, blonde-haired man with an easy smile and friendly demeanor. He was a bit of a joker but he was strong warrior and was usually placed in charge on missions. Petra was a short ginger-haired woman with golden eyes and a kindness in her soul. She was a fierce fighter, especially when angry, and excellent in a team. Gunther was a dark haired and intelligent man who had good qualities for leadership. He was the most serious of the group. Oluo was a white haired man, though he was only twenty, with hazel eyes. Petra was only nineteen while Gunther and Eld were twenty three and twenty two, respectively. Oluo was considered the strongest in the group and very sure of his skills. He was also arrogant and had a habit of quarreling with Petra. All four knew each other quite well and had worked in a team previously.

These four knights were some of Erwin's best and had volunteered for this mission last minute. The other few knights available had been dissuaded by the reputation of the city they would need to travel to for the mission. There had been reports of bandits heading into the now deserted city of Trost.

Trost was now a ruin and considered cursed by the people who lived nearby and they tried to dissuade people from entering. Even King Fritz had forbidden the citizens from doing so but he did nothing to enforce it. There was many reports of people going missing after traveling there and of strange sounds and screams being heard if you wandered too close. Recently though, rumors had been surfacing that there was untold riches hidden in the city's ruined depths and that had attracted treasure seekers and bandits.

"You know your mission." Erwin concluded. "If you find any hostiles do not engage them unless you are sure of their numbers and know you can win. If not, you must come back and inform us and we will send a larger force when it is available. There shouldn't be too much trouble if this is anything like last time, understand?"

"Yes, sir!" The four knights assured.

"Good. You are dismissed. I wish you the best of luck."

"Thank you, sir." They chorused as they left the commander's office to begin preparations.

On their way out, a dark-brown haired knight almost crashed into them, or more specifically into Petra as she was in the front of the group. Petra stumbled back into Oluo with a cry, who then grimaced as he recognized who it was. Hange gave a large smile when she saw them. She was excited at the prospect of being able to see Trost again. She had not been able to research the place as well and she would have liked last time and there was now a perfect opportunity to go again. She had a few theories about the people of the city she wanted to prove and learn more about the place and its culture.

"Oh! Is Erwin sending you to Trost? I need to prepare but I am-" Hange began excitedly.

"Hange, leave them. You are not going to Trost. We had enough trouble dragging you back last Spring." Erwin's exasperated voice rang out of the room. Eld and Gunther stepped around Hange and began to walk away quickly. Petra grabbed Oluo's arm to drag him away as he tried to stay to watch. The four knights saw Hange dash into Erwin's office in panic. They hurried away and hoped Erwin would not give in to Hange, though she was an amazing knight and strategist, she was a little too eccentric and hard to be around for an extended amount of time. Their mission would take up to a week to finish.

"But I need to test my theories! I need to research! There is so much we don't know-" Hange wailed, throwing her arms open to demonstrate.

"No means no. I need you here as my second in command. We are short-handed enough as it is." Erwin reminded causing Hange to visibly deflate. She would listen to her commander.

"Alright, but could I at least get those four to do one tiny little thing for me?" She pleaded, clasping her hands in front of her. Erwin sighed but asked her what she wanted.

* * *

"Hey, Petra! So why did you volunteer for this mission? I bet you couldn't get wait to be near me again, right? I am the best Survey Corps has to offer, after all." Oluo boasted as he mounted his chocolate colored horse in the barn. His horse, Aragon, fidgeted in anticipation of being let out in the dimly lit barn. He pawed at the ground and pulled at his reins. Many stalls in the barn were empty as most knight were on missions of their own. There had been a string of requests from people all over the country needing help. A neighboring country on bad terms with king Fritz had released many hundreds of their prisoners in Shiganshina last year. Since then, there had been many reports of theft and murder, with former prisoners joining up to terrorize towns and cities. The Survey Corps was trying their best to handle it but it was overwhelming them. They had lost many good knights in just a short time.

"Shut up, Bozado. I volunteered because I wanted to. I would have rethought that decision if I knew you were coming." Petra snapped as she placed a few more items in the saddlebags of her equally chocolate colored steed. Her horse Brightheart was a very docile and even-tempered beast. She had a large scar on her leg from an accident when she was a filly but it did nothing to hinder her movement.

"Tch! You know you want me. I bet you dream of our wedding day. Don't worry you'll be a fine wife for me... In time." Petra could almost hear the smirk in his words and her irritation grew. She knew he was just trying to rile her up but it was working.

"I think you're deluding yourself." Petra responded as she finished her task and then glared at him. "I don't plan on being the moron that ends up with you for the rest of her life." He smirk grew bigger and he would have responded but they heard hoof beats coming nearer.

"Knock it off you two. And hurry up!" Gunther's voice came from behind them. Both Oluo and Petra turned to see an amused Eld and scowling Gunther before both of them passed by, leading their own horses out of the barn. Eld's pretty dappled horse was named Veronica after his childhood sweetheart. Gunther's fierce and bulky brown steed was named Kirin.

"Coming!" Petra shouted as she glared at Oluo one last time. She mounted Brightheart and spurred her forwards. She heard Oluo's horse follow behind her. Once everyone together they rode for the city gates to be let out. Most cities had walls surrounding them to protect them. Stohess was no different.

"Waiiiit!" Came a loud and familiar cry from behind them as they neared the massive metal gates leading to the outside world. Hange spurred her own horse at full speed toward Petra and the other knights. Once within reach, she quickly dismounted and rummaged through her horse's saddlebags.

"Take these!" The woman shoved a few items at Eld, the closest to her. He almost dropped them after Hange let go to move on to the next person. She then went to each of the other confused knights and gave them the same treatment. Hange gave them each a notebook, a few sheets of paper and some writing implements.

"Those pens were expensive so try not to lose them. They are a prototype that should keep the ink inside them. If not, its alright. It'll just stain your clothes permanently. You can always buy new ones!" Hange continued excitedly.

"What are we supposed to do with these?" Petra questioned as she stuffed them inside her very full saddlebag. It would be a long trip and they would need a large amount of supplies.

"Well, write of course! What else are you supposed to do with them? I gave you each a quick copy of some of the things I want you to figure out for me. Erwin's being a prick-" The knights cringed at this, "-so that means I can't come with you to do it myself so its now your job. Try using your head for once please, this is to be done for research!"

"Can we just ditch her? I don't want to hear this crap." Oluo whined while dumping the papers and pens into his own saddlebags. Petra couldn't help but want to do the same. Hange was a superior but Petra did not want to get caught up in her research. She was not looking forward to having to do extra work but if it made Hange happy, she guessed she could at least try to do it. Admittedly, Petra was curious as to what happened to Trost so maybe it wouldn't be all that bad and she could sate her own curiosity.

"Everything I need for you to do is in my notes, take a look at those and make sure you find out everything. And don't do a half-assed job about it! Make sure you investigate thoroughly, I don't want you to miss any details." Hange did not seem to want to stop any time soon but the screeching of metal from the doors being opened halted her speech for a few moments. A team of horses were used to pull the doors open or shut depending on which set of chains were hooked onto them at the time. It was a slow process but it worked.

"I apologize but we need to leave. We will try our hardest to do as you asked but we make no promises. There may not be any time for this." Eld began as Hange opened her mouth again, "Let's go everyone!" The horses surged forward at a dash leaving the second-in-command behind.

"Well then make time for it! You are Survey Corps! I'm sure you can handle anything that's thrown at you!" Hange yelled after them as she waved. "Good luck!"


	2. Chapter 2

"Its great to be out of the city again!" Petra grinned as she spoke and leaned her head back to gaze at the dimming sky. A few stars peeked out from behind scattered clouds. Brightheart galloped beneath her at a steady pace, her breathing fast and audible. The knights and their horses were on one of the many paths in the country that had been created and used for hundreds of years. Nothing but short grasses grew on these areas as horses or the path's caretakers would stomp on anything larger or remove them if they became an obstacle. "With all the recent requests I've been doing in the city, I haven't had time to travel anywhere in what feels like a lifetime. This beats finding some mutt on a stormy day in the city." Both Petra and Eld were traveling in the front while Gunther and Oluo were farther back. Eld carried with him the map they were using to travel to Trost.

"I was wondering why you and the others went out that day." Eld laughed at the memory of a scowling Petra coming back to the guild completely soaked and shivering.

"You remember that crazy highborn lady with the dogs?" Petra asked as she remembered that awful day. Eld nodded and she continued. "She lost her precious Larka one day and barged into Commander Erwin's office to demand that he find her himself. She couldn't stand that the mutt was 'lost, cold and wet in the dangerous city'. Commander Erwin was not amused. She offered quite a bit of compensation however. He negotiated with her and sent me, Dieter and Ilse to run around all day in the rain instead. It took us six damn hours to find that thing!" Petra's voice rose at the last bit. Clearly she was not over it.

"We've all had to do those types of requests before. Its just part of the job. Just last month I spent all day picking rare mushrooms in the swamp to the south of the city. I swear I could smell the stink on me for days after wading around in that shit." Eld grimaced at the memory of the awful smell. The mushrooms were to be gathered for a good cause so Eld did not complain when he was assigned the job. He did the best he could as the mushrooms were a vital ingredient in certain medicines.

The Survey Corps had been getting a variety of requests in the last few years. No longer did people just make requests for protection, investigation and the capture of criminals. Some knights did not like this but they had grown used to doing them. Erwin might have had something to do with it as he used the Survey Corps to build trust with the people of Shiganshina. His guild was already well known and many higher ranking nobles held Erwin in high esteem and came to him when they needed help.

"I had been hoping for something that involved leaving the city so I jumped at the chance to be a part of this mission."

"Is that the only reason you joined? So you could travel?" Eld teased while urging his horse to move a little closer to Petra.

"One of the minor reasons, actually." Petra smiled as she turned to look at him. "When I was a child I always wanted to become a knight and save people in need. I still do and joined the Survey Corps so I could get stronger. Traveling is just one of the perks."

"I don't think too many would consider that a perk. Its pretty dangerous and the world has become distrustful of strangers."

"Its good that we are Survey Corps then. People trust us if not each other. We've earned it after all we've done and lost."

"I doubt anyone will try to use that trust to their advantage again. They learned their lesson last time." Eld made a grim face as he said this. Commander Erwin was merciless to a group of outlaws that tried to hurt and cheat people by masquerading as Survey Corps knights. Since then, there had been no more reports of imitations.

"They had better. For their sakes." Petra murmured. There was a yell behind them and both Eld and Petra turned to see Oluo covering his mouth with his hand. Gunther had to turn away to cover his smile while Oluo cursed loudly.

"Looks like Oluo was boasting again." Eld chuckled before turning back around.

"Sometimes I wish he would just bite his tongue off entirely." Petra growled.

* * *

Soon the four had to stop for the night as the sun had finally set. They chose a spot that was used by travelers often. Most paths in the country had popular camping spots that were even marked on certain maps. The one they had chosen had a few trees and a source of water in the form of a small pond nearby.

Petra slid off her horse with a groan, her body sore. She hadn't ridden for long periods of time in over a month and the long hours she had spent on horseback was taking its toll. She stretched a bit before removing her horse's heavy saddlebags and taking off the saddle and other horse tack. After that was done, she fed her horse an apple from her bags before tying a soft rope around Brightheart's neck. Petra then tied the rope to a nearby tree so her horse could graze if she wanted and not wander away in the night or morning. All Survey Corps horses were trained to not leave their riders but it was best to be safe. Eld, Gunther and Oluo did the same for their horses. It was then they they took off their armor with some relief. Their armor was not as bad as what knights in other countries had to wear but it still caused them to sweat underneath when worn for long periods in humid weather. It was something knights just had to get used to.

The four companions prepared camp but did not start a fire as the night was warm and their food did not need to be cooked. They shared a meal of bread, fruits and jerky. The jerky was dry and hard to chew but they washed it down with water from their flasks. The fruit was still fresh and juicy while the bread was still soft and enjoyable to eat.

"I can take first watch if no one has a problem with that." Eld offered as his friends began unpacking and unrolling their blankets on the ground. He preferred the first or last watch as it meant he would get some uninterrupted sleep.

"Fine but I'll take the last one." Oluo responded before Petra and Gunther could. Gunther sighed took second watch while Petra took third, but with the condition that the next night they would switch to make it fair.

The horses settled down to lay on the ground as did the humans. Soon, everyone but Eld was asleep as he remained alert for any danger. He hoped there would be none but with the state of this country, he wouldn't be surprised if trouble found them before they reached their destination.

* * *

Thankfully there were no problems that night and the knights were able to pack and prepare their horses for another day of riding within an hour or waking. While they rode together, Eld suggested they look at Hange's notes. After digging them out, they spent some time reading them over.

"She wants us to what? Bring back a skeleton? Where the hell does she think we can put that?" Eld groaned.

"What the hell makes her think we want to do that?" Oluo added as he glared at the paper in his hand. "And what exactly is she going to do with it?" He shuddered at the images that popped up.

"And not just that, she wants us to make a map of the city, find out what kind of buildings they had and what state they are in, what kind of weapons they had, what vegetation is there now, the list goes on." Gunther sighed. "Are we really doing this?"

"I'm just going to say it was dark and we were busy trying to subdue the enemy." Oluo announced. Petra cringed internally, she hoped she would not be the only one to actually attempt to investigate for Hange.

"Me as well. I'm not paid enough for this." Eld agreed. Fuck, Petra thought to herself. She was too damn nice for her own good.

* * *

It took a total of three days to reach their destination but finally the large grey walls of Trost city came into view in the late afternoon light of the third day. The knights stopped to take in the sight. They encountered no trouble during their journey but the simple arguments they had with each other. Eld argued with Gunther about which rest spots were better for the horses. On the second night Petra punched Oluo after he told her she stank and needed a bath. Gunther would scold the other three as he believed they were not serious enough while they said he needed to learn to lighten up.

The walls of Trost were tall, at least the height of ten men standing on top of each other, and broken and crumbling in places. The city was once one of the most populated cities in Shiganshina. But that was over 200 years ago. Trost was said to have been beautiful in its youth but now it was just a pile of ruins that people tried to loot. Petra felt saddened by this but the fact of life was that things did not last.

When Petra was a child, her mother and father would tell her stories of this place and how beautiful and magical it was. She felt a pang of homesickness as she remembered her parents. They lived in a small village near the city, a few days ride to the west. She hadn't been able to visit them in two months and missed them terribly. Petra wrote to them often but it wasn't the same. She sighed and vowed to visit them again after finishing this mission.

"What a dump!" Petra heard Oluo mutter, "I don't see why anyone is so worked up that people are in this place. We should just let them have it."

"Our mission is to investigate and capture anyone here, if we are able. It doesn't matter what we think of the place or whether or not we believe the mission is even worth it." Gunther scolded as he surveyed the landscape. They were still quite a distance away but they would need to find a way to enter without being seen. There was a forest to the left of them that stretched towards the walled city that they could use for cover. The walls were broken in a variety of places that they could probably steal through an opening without detection if it was dark enough.

"I used to wish I could visit the city before its people left." Petra admitted. "I don't think anyone really knows how it happened. Everyone just disappeared one day."

"Maybe there was a war and they were forced to. Maybe it was disease. I don't think we'll ever know, though we all know Hange will try her best to. I believe that woman out of everyone has the best chance of figuring everything out." Eld responded with a small smile. With one last look, the knights urged their horses toward the forest.


	3. Chapter 3

Eld led the way as they entered the dense forest. It was slow going and they had to dismount and lead their horses. As Petra made her way deeper into the woodland, she stumbled over an exposed tree root and almost fell. Gunther grabbed her before that could happen for which she was very grateful and thanked him for. She would rather not be covered in leaves and dirt right now.

Insects buzzed around and both the humans and the horses tried to keep them away, to no avail. Once they were near enough the city, the knights tied them to the trees. They kept the horse tack and saddlebags on the horses this time in case they had to make a quick getaway. It was almost sundown and still too light out for them to try and enter the city just yet. If there were any men or women on guard they would be easily spotted as they tried now.

Oluo yawned as he leaned back against a tree near his friends. It had been three days since he left the city and he was sore and filthy. What he, and likely the others, wouldn't give to have a hot bath right now. Cool water from a lake or other natural source of water did not do much to rid them off the smell of sweat, dirt and horse.

Oluo watched as Eld and Gunther conversed, likely about the mission, as they sat on the ground. Petra was nearby her horse, staring at a few papers in her hand and frowning. Hange's notes, of course. Oluo smiled in amusement knowing Petra would be the only person in their group actually going to do what Hange wanted. He felt a bit of pity but not enough to help her out. She should not bother with it like the rest of them were doing.

Eld called both Petra and Oluo over as the sun began to set. They spent the rest of the time until nightfall discussing how they would go about their mission this time.

* * *

"Darkness will make it harder for us to see but it will also make it harder for them to see us. We have the advantage here since they don't know we're here. There shouldn't be too many of them but be careful all the same." Eld spoke as he looked at Trost from a gap between two trees. The others were also watching Trost for any activity. In the time they had spent observing the city, the quartet had seen no sign of life on top of the walls. It did not seem like anyone was keeping watch from up there.

"Remember, keep quiet and stay out of sight. Stick with your partner and look out for any activity. Once you find out who we're dealing with, or after a few hours have passed, come back here. Do not get caught!" Gunther reminded as he began to make his way toward the city.

"Don't worry about me! I can take care of myself." Oluo smirked as he tied the clasp to his cloak around his neck. Petra and Eld were just putting theirs on as well. The cloaks were lightweight and dark green in color with the Survey Corps insignia on the back. They could be removed quickly by pulling on the clasp and would cover most of the reflection of the metal from their armor. Though it was dark, the moon, or any other source of light, and their armor could get them caught if the bandits were attentive enough.

"Good luck everyone! Stay safe." Petra added, nudging Oluo forward as he fumbled with his clasp. He made a face at her but began to move while still fixing his cloak. Petra ended up stuffing Hange's papers and pens in a hidden pocket in her shirt, underneath her armor. She figured if this mission went well she would have time to write a few things for Hange. They might even come in useful for something other than research. The others didn't seem inclined to take theirs with them.

Like thieves, the four knights stayed low and slowly neared Trost's wall and the breach they would use to enter it from. Crickets chirped loudly in the night and the occasional hoot of an owl echoed hauntingly. There was a bit of a breeze which was actually quite pleasant in the warm air. The knights' armor made a little noise as they moved but, because it was not all metal, the sound was muffled.

Oluo quickened his pace and was the first to reach the opening in the wall. He flattened himself against the outside and spied inside for signs of trouble. There was a faint glow of fire from somewhere much further in but it soon moved and was hidden behind one of the many building he could see the outline of in the moonlight.

_So there were people here._

Now Oluo needed to figure out who they were and how many. He whispered his finding to the group as they joined him and waited to see if the light would come back. When it did not, they entered the city for the first time. They were careful not to trip over the many pieces of the wall and piles of earthy soil littering the ground. Someone had dug holes into the ground in various places as if searching for something. All four were on high alert for any danger.

The moon did not give off much light tonight but it was enough to see the ruined towers and once great homes of the city. The spires in better condition rose high into the sky and Petra briefly wished he could see what this place looked like in the daylight. She and Eld separated and went to the right as soon as they entered the city while Gunther and Oluo went to the left. Petra followed Eld, letting him take the lead. He was a natural at it and was usually the one to lead when in a group.

Slowly they began to make their way deeper into the city, making sure to hide in or behind buildings even when they did not see anyone. Their enemies could be lurking anywhere. Petra kept watch behind her as well.

Eld hid behind a building in better condition and peeked past it. He then stilled for a few moments, listening intently but heard nothing. Petra came up behind him, touching his shoulder briefly to get his attention and pointed to the right of him. He followed her as she moved and found himself looking at a bright spot in the distance. It was another light but as they waited it did not move. That could be a fire or a stationary guard.

Together, they crept passed more ruined buildings and approached the light warily. It was in fact a fire but with no one nearby. Petra signaled to Eld to wait instead of moving around and so they did, hoping to catch the bandits.

As they shifted to keep their legs from falling asleep as time passed, the two knights finally saw the bandits for the first time. There were five of them deep in conversation as they made their way to settle around the fire. All five were male and were covered in dust. One wore mismatched armor while the others sported just trousers and shirts. Two carried shovels with them. Petra wondered if they had been the ones to dig the holes they had seen earlier.

"-fuck do we have to keep watch anyway? There's no one here. Those idiots in the town are too chicken-shit to come and we've been here weeks without any trouble."

"Boss can go fuck himself if he thinks we are staying awake another night for nothing. He makes us work all day and barely lets us sleep at night."

"Where is he anyway?"

"Who the fuck cares? Probably barking at the others while they work or sitting on his ass drunk in his room."

"That fucker acts like he's better than us but what the hell has he ever done? We do all the work while he just orders us around. We've been here three weeks and we have nothing to show for it." Someone, presumably the speaker, spat after this statement.

"I bet there's no treasure in this place and we're busting our asses for nothing. We should just kill the bastard and go raid the town. The people would be worth quite a bit don't you think?" Petra and Eld stilled at this remark. These men were slavers.

"Us? Kill him?" Someone laughed. "Yeah right! He scares the shit outta all of us. He'll kill us before we could do him in!"

The conversation went on about the 'Boss' how he was a bastard he was for quite a while. With their ranting done, they switched topics to women. Petra grimaced in disgust at the terms they used to describe those of her sex and how they recounted their conquests. Nothing more that was relevant was learned but Petra and Eld heard enough to know that they would need to head back to Stohess. They would not be able to fight the amount they guessed they faced from that conversation. Both wanted to after overhearing those men however.

As the bandits continued their talk, Eld tapped Petra on the shoulder and motioned for her to come with him. They slowly inched away from the bandits until they could no longer hear them. As they tried to head back the way they came, Petra caught sight of a light in the distance again. She quickly grabbed Eld by the arm and dragged him back behind a smaller building. They saw the illuminated forms of two men as they passed close to them. Petra and Eld waited until the light had passed by before trying to leave again and heading the opposite direction. The sooner they got out of here the better. Commander Erwin would need to know of this soon.

* * *

As Eld peeked out behind the building on his way back, he saw Oluo and Gunther hiding behind a building that looked like a stable. Near them were two men with torches who would see them if they got any closer. His companions were in the open with the moon illuminated them as no large building were nearby to block its light. If they tried to get to the shadow of the stable, they would surely be seen by the torch carrying pair. Oluo had his sword ready but Gunther motioned for him to lower it and wait. If they or the bandits caused any noise then they could be caught. Fighting would need to be the last resort.

As the bandit pair left their line of sight without seeing Gunther or Oluo, Eld tossed a small pebble in their direction. His friends started and placed his hand on the hilt of his weapon as they turned around. Eld showed himself briefly before heading behind the building again. Soon all four knights were reunited in the old building they sheltered behind. Petra kept watch outside as Eld talked to Gunther and Oluo. Both Gunther and Oluo had been forced near Eld's and Petra's location due to the bandit patrols.

"Damn it! They are more of them that we anticipated. We need to head back to Erwin." Eld sighed, frustrated that they could do nothing right now.

"We also think I know who these bandits are." Gunther added quietly as he clenched his fists. Both Oluo and Gunther had overheard bits and pieces of talk from the patrols they had hid from. With Eld's information he was sure he knew who they were dealing with.

"We think these bastards are the slaver group from up north, the Black Vultures. We saw their insignia tattooed on one of the bandit's arms." Oluo grimaced. The Black Vultures had been taking Shiganshina citizens and selling them into slavery in other countries as slavery was outlawed here. That didn't mean it didn't go on in Shiganshina but there was not much of a market for it here thanks to the Survey Corps.

"Fuck!" Eld swore. These particular slavers were infamous for their numbers and line of sadistic leaders. A more cunning or crueler person always killed the current leader within a few years. The knights did not know the leader's name but his men were mainly made up of the prisoners that had been released into their country previously.

The four companions knew they needed to get to Erwin as soon as they could. They might not have another chance like this. The slavers had always eluded their grasp by traveling from country to country but this was the perfect opportunity to take them down. It would be such a relief to many to destroy this group once and for all.

* * *

After letting Petra know of what they learned, the knights once again headed for the exit. As they arrived and hid behind another old building, they realized they were in trouble. Four men stood in front the of broken wall they had entered from. They were holding torches and conversing. One pointed to the ground where the knights realized they could have left evidence of their entrance in the dirt. They had not realized they had left footprints.

"Maybe we can fight and run?" Gunther suggested in a soft voice. Before he could respond, they saw three more men run towards the group, making the total to seven. One tripped and fell into a hole which made the bandits chuckle or scoff. The clumsy bandit quickly climbed back out to hear the jeers of his comrades.

"Damn, if only we were quicker!" Oluo whispered harshly. Now it would be troublesome to leave.

"We'll need to find another way out. If we follow the wall we should find another exit easily enough. We just need to be quick. Once the sun comes up they can easily spot us if we're still inside the walls." Petra proposed.

"We need to hurry then." Eld approved, already moving. The other three followed behind, hoping they could get out of this situation without trouble, though that seemed unlikely.


	4. Chapter 4

Only a few minutes away, the knights ran into trouble. Another torch carrying patrol crossed their path as the knights snuck between buildings. The patrol was made up of two men who were distracted by the conversation they were engrossed in. The two did not pay as much attention to their surrounding as they should have.

After waiting a few minutes until the patrol's voices grew faint, Gunther led the way forward while his comrades followed. Unfortunately, they did not anticipate or evade the third member running after those in front. He ran quick, barely making a sound on the grass, and the knights assumed the noise came from the two that had passed.

"Hey, wait you bastards! I don't have a-" The man, who had quite youthful and boyish features, stopped in his tracks as he caught sight of the Gunther from a distance.

"Damn!" Gunther growled lowly as he lunged for the man while unsheathing his sword. The knights reacted as fast as they could to try and get to the bandit before he made any noise. They were too late however, and the man whistled twice loudly while attempting to clumsily draw his weapon.

"HELP! E-ENEMIES!" The bandit screeched loudly with a stutter. His voice echoed in the night as he clumsily blocked a sword thrust from Gunther. Petra and Oluo were right behind Gunther and dashed around him in synch to strike their opponent with the flat of their blades and send him to the ground. Gunter then kicked him hard in the head to make sure he stayed there while Eld kept his eyes open for any more danger.

"Company!" Eld shouted as the two man patrol arrived, whistling twice as well before charging at them with their weapons drawn. The knights heard shouting from farther away and knew they were in trouble. Eld smashed his shield into the face of one of the patrol members while Petra tackled the other bandit, sending him to the ground and winding him. She lightly jumped over him and sprinted away to follow her fleeing comrades. As they fled, they heard a deep voice shouting orders at the bandits.

"Light the signal fire! I want those bastard alive you useless scum!" The didn't catch the face of the voice but the way he commanded the bandits meant he must be someone higher up on the chain of command.

"Keep together!" Eld yelled as he ran at a full sprint.

The knights darted away, outrunning the men behind them thanks to their stamina. They aimed to find another opening in the wall to exit from. Sooner than expected, they arrived at one but were met with a group of six armed men, two of which were attempting to put on chainmail armor in a rush. They must have seen the signal fire and waited for them.

Oluo dashed headlong into battle and drew his swords to slash at a grinning brown-haired man. His opponent blocked but was easily knocked out when Oluo used the hilt of his blade to bash him across his temple. The others had a bit more trouble with their opponents.

Petra faced a man with a long axe and had a hard time getting close to her opponent. She blocked a few strikes with her swords and shield as she tried to find an opening. The knight was glad she had her armor on or else she would have had a few nasty gashes by now. She was finally able to block a strike with her shield and darted close to strike the man's weapon arm with her sword. He dropped his axe with a scream of pain before Petra kicked his leg and sent him to the ground. Eld and Gunther were almost back to back as they faced their three opponents wielding swords. They were only able to get a few strikes at their opponents before the knights other pursuers caught up to them. Now they faced more than double the men they did before.

"Boss says not to kill them! Just capture them!" One man shouted from the crowd of men and a few woman. The knights knew they were outnumbered as they tried to fight their way out.

"Damn! Scatter and regroup later!" Gunther shouted but it was no use. There was much more of them than they could handle. None of them had faced such a large group with such few teammates before. One man charged and was able to smash Eld on the head with his torch as he was busy with another sword wielder. Eld stumbled and his other opponent used the handle of his blade to hit him again and again until the handle was bloody and he was down. Gunther met the same fate as three men ganged up on him and beat him to the ground.

Petra cried out in pain as a sword grazed her arm through the leather and opened a shallow wound. She viciously slashed the wielder as he tried to raise his sword for another strike. Distracted, she was kicked away from her opponent and onto the hard ground by another enemy. The knight tried to get up only to feel someone stomp on her back as hard. She grunted but kept herself from crying out in pain this time as the man pressed his booted foot down hard. Petra's armor protected her but it still hurt and his weight made it hard to move.

"You little bitch! Fucking cut my hand will you! I'll make sure to cut your fucking head off!" He pressed his foot harder onto her back and raised his axe to do as he threatened. Petra used all her strength to raise herself up and roll away from the furious man which caused him to stumble back, off balance. The last thing she saw was the man swear at her some more while from behind him, Oluo was finally taken down thanks to another few guards, before she felt someone strike her own head with a heavy object.

* * *

Loud boisterous laughter woke Gunther as he sat with his lower back pressed against something solid while his head hung forward. The laughter was followed by obnoxious voices getting louder by the moment and then more laughter. Gunther's head throbbed painfully and he could hear a ringing sound in his ears. His body wasn't in much better shape, he knew he had bruises in quite a few places with the pain he was feeling. Gunther remembered he had been taken down by the enemy and tried his hardest to clear his head. His mouth was dry and their was something in it as well. He had been gagged.

The knight opened his eyes slowly, unable to focus properly in the dim light and tried to lift himself into a better sitting position. When he could not he realized he was bound against something. He then turned to the noise, which was to the right, and saw the blurry forms of two men and a fire. The knight could also see that they were in some sort of building with a high ceiling. Both men around the fire were turned away from him and far enough away that small movements could stay unnoticed if Gunther was careful.

Gunther glanced around to see that he and his friends were bound with ropes, their arms behind their back. All three were unmoving in sitting positions against pillars behind them just like he was. He was able to lean forward awkwardly to see that everyone was there and in one piece. The pillars were quite close together, so Gunther could probably reach out his legs to nudge Oluo, who was to his left, if he wanted. To Oluo's left was Eld and finally Petra. Their were more pillars on the opposite end of the room and Gunther concluded this building could have been a hall of sorts. Gunther hoped his comrades were all alive and well. Their foes wouldn't bother tying up corpses would they?

Feeling it safe as the bandits were not paying attention, Gunther struggled with his bindings. His arms were sore and his wrists were in pain. Trying to move them caused the pain to intensify as his bare wrists rubbed against rough rope. The knights all had their legs bound together as well. They were covered in dirt and their armor and weapons had been removed. All four were also gagged with a piece of cloth. Gunther's cloth was already soaked in his saliva and he hoped it had been clean when they put it in. He doubted it though.

Gunther shifted his arms and legs, hoping to find some give to the ropes but there was none. He then looked at the other three knights hoping they were awake and heard him. He did not want to make any vocal noises in case he was heard. He glanced over at the bandits again to make sure they were not paying attention. The two bandits, who may have been part the group to capture them, laughed some more and not once looked over at the prisoners behind them. One sat on the ground with a bottle in hand while the other sat on a wooden box. Both men were dressed in dirty leather armor and were drinking what was likely alcohol.

The dark haired knight narrowed his eyes. The nerve of these men! Here were four well-trained, albeit bound, knights and they were just getting drunk like they were nothing! It was good for him but he vowed to make them regret it. He looked to his comrades and saw that they were coming around too.

Gunther could see Eld open his eyes, which were quite alert. It was a relief for Gunther to know he wasn't the only one awake. Eld quickly took stock of his surrounding and nodded at Gunther. He then nudged Petra and Oluo with his feet until they reluctantly moved and opened their eyes after some time. The blonde man's face was covered in blood that must have run down from his head. The bandits had still not noticed anything, too intent on their conversation and their spirits. Petra and Oluo both looked outraged at their situation once they realized where they were and struggled to free themselves. Gunther could see Petra eyes almost blazing in her anger. Eld kicked Oluo hard to make him shut up when he tried to say something through his gag.

Gunther shifted a little, scraping his boot on the ground, drawing the attention of the knights. When they looked at him, he looked over at the bandits and they followed his gaze. It would be hard but they needed to figure out a plan they could understand and follow through to break free.

Before anyone could do anymore, they heard the heavy metal thud of footsteps and the clinking of armor. Eld made a small sound and visibly lowered his head and closed his eyes. The others, getting his hint, did the same. And not too soon as they heard a deep voice call out. Several sets of footfalls approached the knights and drunken bandits.

"The fuck do you think you're doing!" The voice barked, "I asked you to watch these Survey Corps bastards not fuck around like some drunks in a tavern." The two drunk bandits must have been startled as the knights heard something, likely a bottle, drop and shatter. The voice was the same as the one that called to light signal flares before when the knights were caught.

"Uh, sorry boss! They're already tied up... so, uh, we thought-" One man began hesitantly.

"Shut the fuck up and get out of my sight. I should gut both of you for your incompetence right now."

"No! It won't happen again! Please-" The other man begged.

"Disgusting. We need manual labor so I'll have to keep you two for a while." The deep voice spat. "If this happens again, I will personally shove a dagger so far up you ass you'll be spitting it out of your mouth. Got it?" The two bandits cowered and stuttered out more apologies. The knights knew this man must be the leader of the Black Vultures with the authority he had over these men.

"Enough! Now, have any of the prisoners moved at all?"

"Umm, not that w-we know of s-sir." The first man stammered out.

"Useless" The man muttered. The knights then heard the man come closer to look at them. They heard something being unsheathed but tried not to tense. Oluo almost held his breath but then remembered to breath normally, while Petra felt the urge to clench her eyes shut. Eld and Gunther were calm keeping their breathing deep and even. There was a moment of silence and then a yelp from Oluo. Instantly the rest of the knights opened their eyes to see what was happening. Eld felt his friend's body be shoved against him as he opened his eyes to look and see the blurry form of the bandit leader retracting his left fist. His right hand held a long bladed knife.

"Hmph, faking it I see." The bandit leader then raised his leg to kick Eld but missed his face when he leaned away, getting his shoulder instead. Petra, Oluo and Gunther struggled as hard as they could, trying to break free. The man then casually stepped away from Eld and moved to his right. His blade easily sliced through the ropes binding Petra to the pillar and grabbed surprised woman by the collar of her shirt. He hoisted her up with one hand, easily carrying her weight. Petra struggled, trying to break free of his grip and his knife ended up slicing open a shallow wound on her cheek when he brought his hand close to rip the gag off. There was sounds of a struggle behind her and Petra knew it was her comrades trying to help her.

"Hey, you little bitch. Are there any more of you?" Petra refused to answer and squinted trying to get a good look at the man before her. The light from the men carrying torches behind him made it hard to do so.

"I asked you a question!" The man barked when he received no reply. He shook her hard which made her head snap back and forth painfully.

"Answer me!" The man roared as he shook her harder.

The group this man led killed, hurt and enslaved people from all over the countries. How many homes and lives had these people destroyed? How many people had they hurt with their actions? Petra could feel herself grow angry that this man was here before her and she and her comrades could do nothing. This man was scum. Instead of answering, Petra collected all the saliva she had in her mouth and spat in his face in response.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is rated M and there will be mentions of rape in this chapter. This is your warning if you want to avoid this chapter because of that.

"Fine." The leader growled as he wiped the spit from his face with the back of the hand holding the knife. He roughly tossed Petra toward two of the newer men that had arrived with him. "Hold her and get her gagged again."

"Let me go you bastards!" Petra screamed and struggled as the bandits grabbed her as soon as she was in reach. One of them cursed at her and grabbed a piece of cloth from somewhere on him to use as a gag. The dirty piece of cloth made Petra cringe in disgust as it was forced in her mouth. There were still ropes binding her arms and legs so Petra could not do much to free herself or prevent them from tying the gag behind her head. The female knight took a moment to look at the man that captured her and her friends as he glared at her.

The bandit leader was a large bulky man wearing tarnished chainmail armor. His short hair was greasy black and there were several scars covering his face. His eyes were deep green and his nose was crooked, like it had been once been broken. His arms were bare seemed almost unnaturally large with muscles. The leader eventually turned away from Petra to focus on the rest of the knights.

"Now what can I do to make you answer?" The bandit leader began to smile as he asked himself this question. He stepped up to each of the knights in turn, the sound of his metal boots echoing in the chamber.

"Take the gags off of the boys and make sure they stay quiet." The leader ordered sharply. Several men neared the male knights and not so gently pulled the gags off of them. They then pulled out their blades and held them to the men's throats to prevent them from speaking just yet. Once that was done the bandit leader called the two guards holding a squirming Petra forward.

"What I see before me is a young and pretty woman." The bandit leader observed and grabbed Petra's face with his large, filthy hands. Her nose wrinkled in disgust at the unpleasant smell they gave off. He turned her face toward him making sure to make eye contact with her. The young woman shuddered at his intent and leering gaze. His eyes shone with malicious intent.

"Now we haven't had the pleasure of having a woman around us in quite a while." He continued, turning his face toward the other knights. "Unless you want your little friend to be spreading her legs for me and all of my men, I suggest you tell me everything. If not, then you die and she gets to be our little toy until we sell her to the highest bidder. Choose that path and I'll make sure your deaths are as painful as I can possibly make them."

Petra's eyes widened in fear and her friends began to shout. If they tried to touch her she would kill them all, she vowed. Petra couldn't help the terror forming in her gut however. She knew a situation like this might happen one day, where she would have to face the threat of rape. It was a humiliating and disgusting tactic but evil men and women could easily use it to their advantage when they wanted something.

"You bastard, leave her alone!"

"I'll fucking kill you if you try!"

"I'll rip you to pieces!"

All three shouts were said at once. The men were horrified at the thought of their friend being violated. Rape was a severe crime in Shiganshina. The leader laughed as he got the reaction he was looking for.

Petra couldn't help it when her breathing became faster but she resisted the urge to struggle. She wasn't getting out of this situation any time soon so she would need to conserve her energy. She shook a little but she refused to show her fear and tried to swallow it down. To try and cover it up she swore at the man threatening her, her words muffled by the gag.

"Will you answer then?" The leader crossed his arms, staring at the knights triumphantly. Gunther looked on either side of him to see both Eld and Oluo clenching their teeth in order to stop themselves from saying anything. He knew they had to answer as they had no choice. They could not allow their friend to meet such a fate when they could prevent it. The knights could at least try to find some way out of this situation by cooperating. Gunther caught their eyes once again and nodded slightly. They both noticed the brief movement and allowed him to speak for them.

"Yes, we'll answer but only if you leave our comrade alone. You will not harm her." Gunther began.

"I, Kristof, am a man of my word. Answer truthfully and she won't be ravaged by anyone. I like my women older and with more experience. I highly doubt this little twig could please me anyway!" He laughed loudly and some of his men joined in. Petra's face changed to one of relief.

"There are no more of us on their way right now. We were given the mission of investigating this city and reporting back to our Commander of our findings after dealing with any threats." Gunther grudgingly revealed.

"Is that it?" Kristof frowned at Gunther. "How many days did it take to get from your city to these ruins?"

"Four." Gunther answered, lying a little.

"How many knights at your disposal and why were you sent with so few numbers?" Kristof continued his questioning.

"We have a few hundred knights and less than one hundred trainees. We were told you were a small band of thugs and thought we could easily root you out. We were mistaken." Gunther fibbed some more and hoped the bandit leader would not catch him in his lie. He hoped that when they did not come back, the Commander would send more knights to find them.

"When are you expected back?"

"A week from now." Gunther hoped that would give their Commander time enough to get people here. He didn't want to exaggerate the time too much and risk being found out.

"Hmm." Kristof looked thoughtful, as if debating what to do. Before he could react, Kristof pushed aside the bandit beside him and grabbed Gunther by the neck. His hands crushed his throat as the man spoke once more. "You better not be lying you little fuck or you will be regretting it for the rest of your short life. Am I understood?"

Eld and Oluo were prevented from aiding him by their captors. Kristof's men pulled them away when they tried to stop their boss from strangling their friend.

"Y-yes! Its the truth!" Gunther was able to choke out eventually. He gasped for breath as Kristof let go of his throat.

"I'm not sure I believe you boy but I'm not about to leave this place yet. Not until I find what I want. Fuck, this means we need to hurry." The leader closed his eyes as he thought. He opened them again and turned to face his men. "We have a bit more than a week before we need to get the hell out of this shit hole. Once the Survey bastards realize their men have not come back they will be coming for us. Spread the word, everyone is to work harder until further notice. I better not see  _anyone_  slacking. Double the patrols as well, just in case our guests are lying."

Kristof then turned to his captives, who were burning with anger and hatred for him. He smirked at them.

"Throw the three gentlemen into the pit for now. Let the lady stay in the prison cells, just to make sure the boys stay on their best behavior with us. We should be fetching a good price for these four on the market." He laughed.

* * *

The sun was just peeking over the horizon as it started its journey across the sky. The again gagged knights were pulled and dragged to what would be their new home until they could free themselves or were saved. Eld and Gunther were quiet as they were forced along, no doubt thinking of a plan. Oluo ad Petra eyed the thugs, hoping to find some weakness they could exploit.

As they walked across what looked like a courtyard, there came a rumbling from beneath them. Petra's skin began to prickle and she shivered. Something felt wrong. She glanced at her captors as they also seemed to sense something off.

"What the fuck are you stopping for. Get moving you lazy pieces of sh-" Kristof shouted but was cut off when they heard a mighty  _crack_. The ground beneath the knight and criminals rumbled and split. They were not able to take even a few steps before the ground gave away completely and sent everyone plummeting into the darkness below.


	6. Chapter 6

Oluo groaned as lay on his back after the fall, still too dazed to try and get up. As he took a deep breath, he inhaled some of the dust that was falling over him. He began to cough, which just made things worse as more dust was sucked down his throat. The man could feel his eyes tear up as he tried to gasp for breath in between coughs. After a minute of this, he was able to breathe freely, though now his chest ached fiercely.

The white-haired man blinked repeatedly to clear his eyes. Light was coming from the hole they dropped from to illuminate the area they had landed in. Dust floated around the room, though much of it was settling, for which Oluo was grateful. His body hurt and he realized he lay on top of someone else. Someone who hadn't moved.

Oluo pushed himself off the body he was on top of. Rocks jabbed his back as he landed on the ground. He looked over at the person he landed on and grimaced in disgust at the face of the dead bandit that had broken his fall. The dead man's eyes and mouth were open, the latter trickling blood. The unfortunate man had landed on a sharp rock that had been thrust through his body and straight through his heart. It had missed Oluo by just a handspan.

The white-haired man rolled over and used his legs to push himself up. His arms were still tied so it was a slow process and he almost fell over twice. Once up, Oluo took in the place they had fallen in. It was not some sort of natural cavity that Oluo had thought it was. The Black Vultures and the knights had fallen into some sort of large square room. It was obviously built by human hands as the walls were smooth and carved from the stone. It was likely that the ground above the room had slowly weakened until it collapsed.

Oluo looked around the room to see if his comrades were alright. He needed to find them so they could try to escape.

* * *

Petra slowly opened her eyes, blinking until she could see clearly. She lay on the dirt ground, covered in dust and small rocks. Floating dust kept getting in her eyes and she closed them while she mentally tried to ignore the pain she was in. Petra knew she would be bruised for a few days after this.

Remembering her dire situation, Petra quickly began to try and remove the bonds from around her wrists. She was unsuccessful and all she managed was to make the rope chafe her skin until it bled. The knight then tried to get up and was successful though a bolt of pain shot through her right leg when she stood on it. A little ways in front, she saw Oluo getting up with a prone bandit nearby. Relieved he was alright, she began to limp over to him.

"Not so fast, bitch!" A Black Vulture grabbed her ankle and forcefully pulled it towards him. She grunted as she stumbled to her knees, which painfully jarred her right leg. Kristof's voice then bellowed out from somewhere.

"Get the fuck up! Don't let the prisoners escape!" His command spurred his men into action. Within minutes, anyone who could get up was up and the knights were back to being captives.

Eld and Gunther were both okay as well, albeit a little bruised. Both Petra and Oluo were relieved when they were pushed towards them.

* * *

After everything had settled, the results of the fall had cost three of Kristof's men their lives. Five were alive and well enough to move and walk. The fall itself had only killed two men but Kristof had ordered the death of one other man that was too hurt to be useful. The unfortunate man had broken both his legs, one so badly that it popped out of his skin. He needed medical treatment but Kristof hadn't wanted to bother and didn't want to listen to his crying any longer. None of his men seemed to really care that they had been ordered to kill one of their own.

It was strange to the knights but Kristof did not seem to mind the situation they were in. In fact he seemed strangely happy. It was quite terrifying to see the man grinning from ear from ear as he surveyed the room. There was one exit in this room which led to a long corridor. There was greed in Kristof's eyes as he took in this but of information. Just what was he looking for in this place?

From what the knights overheard from his men, they were all looking for some sort of treasure in these ruins. Kristof now believed they would find it thanks to the discovery of this room. Taking advantage of the situation, the leader of the Black Vultures had his men above ground stay and guard the ruins while the rest of them continued to explore underneath. He had his men above drop down supplies like food, water, rope and torches.

"Bind the slaves together. We'll take them along with us. They may come in useful for some work." The leader of the Black Vultures barked at his men. He smiled as he glanced around the room. His eyes were wide with excitement and anticipation. With Kristof in the lead, the Black Vultures exited the room with the knights in tow.

Petra glanced behind her as she was pulled along the corridors of the underground structure. There was an odd type of moss growing along the tops of the walls that illuminated the way. It was not very bright but it emit enough light that none of the Black Vultures had needed to light a torch. So far, they had gone left, right, left, right after leaving the room they had fallen in. This place was built like a maze and Petra believed it was just that. Kristof had begun marking the places where they made turns. As they walked along the corridors, they had passed other rooms, many completely empty while others were still pretty bare with only a table or chairs or such. Nothing of interest to Kristof and his men.

Petra's friends followed behind her one by one. A length of rope was used to tie their wrists together and the men in front pulled on it to keep the knights moving. There was still no way for Petra and the others to escape as they were surrounded, bound and had no weapons. They would have to wait and keep an eye open for anything that could help them escape.

* * *

" _Raaaaargh!_ " Something screamed out from the dim corridors. It sounded like the cry of a man mixed with the cry of a some animal.

"What the fuck was that?" One of the Black Vulture's jumped at the sound and shouted in fright.

"Probably some animal. Keep moving!" Came Kristoff's reply.

The knights exchanged a look as they were forced to go deeper. That hadn't sounded like an animal. Was someone else here?

Petra felt a shiver go down her spine. She jerked when she felt something cold touch the back of her neck. She turned around sharply but saw nothing. Eld, who was right behind her, gave her a curious look. She just shook her head and turned forward once more, feeling the urge to rub the back of her neck.

* * *

_Come._

The unnerved slavers and knights began to hear the soft whispers. They slowly became louder as they traveled further into the maze.

_Come here._

"Uh, boss? W-what is that?" One man stammered.

"You sound scared, boy. Are some strange sounds enough to make you soil yourself?" Kristof growled at the fearful man. He said nothing in return. "Just shut up and keep moving! We are close to finding what we need."

The whispers abated after the outburst from the leader. The corridors were silent except for the dripping of water from somewhere onto the stone ground.

Then the whispers began again with a vengeance, louder and more numerous than before. Words and partial phrases began to be discernable in the mass of voices.

_-Here. Come here. Follow us. Please come-. -Want it. -Your dreams. Come. Here. Follow us. Come with-._

"Boss what the fuck is this!" One man yelled in fright. The voices just got louder as if they were coming closer. They seemed to be coming from every direction.

Men, women children. There were all different types of voices in the unnatural frenzy.

"This can't be a trick!" The one called James screamed. His eyes were wild in fright as he glanced in every direction with his sword drawn. "Show yourselves! Who the fuck are you! I'll kill you all!"

And suddenly the voices stopped.

 _What the hell-_ Petra began to think but a small sound interrupted her. It was a child-like giggle. It sounded so out of place in this maze that everyone was startled. The sound echoed in the corridors. Then all was silent for a few seconds. And then they heard it again. Soon another giggle joined the first and then the laughter started.

_Hahahaha. Hahahaha! HahahahaHAHAHAHAHA!_

First it was low and then it continued to get louder as more and more voices added their own to the cacophony. Hundreds of voices were all joining into the laughter. The men covered their ears while the knights wished they could. The laughter was so all-encompassing and loud. It grated on their ears and sent shivers of fright down their frames.

"Screw this!" One man yelled from the back as he turned tail and ran.

"Get back here you coward!" Kristof bellowed at him. His footsteps were barely audible against the laughter and soon it all stopped. Everyone stilled, thinking it would just start again.

" _Argh! Aaaaahhhh! Ahhhhh! Nooooo! AAAAGH!_ " A man's screams of pain and terror erupted from the direction of where the man fled. Two of the slavers backed away from that direction.

The man's screams cut off abruptly, leaving everything feeling far too silent.

"Colin!" One man called out hesitantly. There was no reply. Kristof himself seemed quite startled but he frowned and pushed everyone out of the way as he headed back.

"Follow me you worthless bastards and we'll kill the fucks messing with us." He drew his longsword and grit his teeth in anger.

The slavers pulled the bewildered knights with them.

* * *

" _What the fuck_?" A voice whispered in horror.

Gunther stopped when the Kristof and the slavers in front of him did. He could smell blood. The scent was quite familiar to him. The bulky bodies of his captors were blocking him from seeing what they did. He shuffled around a bit and leaned toward a gap in their bodies. He could see a smear of blood on the wall. His eyes followed it to see a large puddle of blood on the ground. The blood came from the slaver that lay nearby, his face turned away from Gunther. His body was covered in even more blood, cuts and gouges where his clothes and even skin had been ripped away.

Gunther had no idea what could have done this. Some animal no doubt but what? And what the hell were those voices. He did not believe in ghosts but this place was beginning to test his disbelief.


End file.
